
much fruit only through an intimate contact with the True Vine. The divine
Husbandman finds it necessary to prune away not only that which is bad and
inferior, but also the superfluity of apparently good things in the life of the
Christian in order that more and better fruit may be borne. The question
often asked, "Are not these particular things harmless and legitimate?" must
be restated in the experience of the Christian branch, "Are the things thAt
I desire really necessary, and do they promote fruit bearing for the kingdom ?"
Lesson 8, for August 25, 1951
Creation: the Solar System and the Seasons
MEMORY' VERSE: "When I consider Thy heavens, the work of Thy fingers,
the moon and the stars, which Thou hast ordained; what is man, that Thou art mind-
ful of him? and the son of man, that Thou visitest him?" Ps. 8:3, 4.
STUDY HELPS: R. E. Hoen, "The Creator and His Workshop," chapter
8;
"The Great Controversy," pages 677, 678, 306-309, 333, 334 (new ed.,
pp.
761, 762,
350-354, 382-384); "Education," pages 115, 116; "Early Writings," page 41.
INTRODUCTION: In relative distance from the earth, the first heaven is the
firmament, the lower portion of which is now commonly known as the atmosphere, in
which the birds "may fly above the earth" (Gen. 1:20), and from which the rain falls
(Acts 14:17). In the next or starry heaven entirely apart from the earth and yet
closely related to it are found the moon, the other planets of the solar system, the sun,
and, at still greater distances, the stars (1 Chron. 27:23; Heb. 11:12). These latter
are grouped in apparent patterns or constellations and in enormous clusters, galaxies,
and nebulae, very remote from each other. The sun of our solar system is a member
of one of these giant galaxies, called the Milky Way. Then, much as the planets revolve
about the sun, all of these systems move in response to the force emanating from the
great center of the universe, the third heaven (2 Cor. 12:2), the heaven of heavens
(1 Kings 8:27), where is the throne of God, the Creator and Upholder of all (Isa.
66:1; Matt. 5:34). On the fourth day, as on all the other days of creation week,
certain portions of the matter which the Creator had brought into existence initially
were organized in final form according to His great blueprint. The material selected
on this day He "ordained" and "appointed" as objects to serve in the realm of the
second heaven as the rulers of day and night, and of seasons and years for this earth.
DAILY STUDY ASSIGNMENT
I.
General survey of the lesson.
4. Questions 7-9. Read Introduction.
2.
Questions 1-3; memorize Ps. 8:3,
4.
5. •Questions 10-12. Read "The Great
3.
Questions 4-6. Read chapter 8,
Controversy" assignment.
"The Creator and His Work-
6. Read "Education" assignment and
shop."
"Early Writings" assignment.
7. Review.
The Sun and the Moon
1.
On the fourth day of creation week what further organiza-
tion of created matter was accomplished? Gen. 1:14-19.
NOTE.—The
divine command was for lights to appear "in the firmament
of the heaven" on this day.
2.
What words signifying a purposeful arrangement are used
to describe the creative act of establishing the functions of the sun,
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